Vehicle windscreen wiping mechanisms

ABSTRACT

A mechanism for controlling the operating cycle of a wiper blade for cleaning a vehicle window comprises an arm rotatably mounted on a drive member whereby it can be reciprocated, a wiper blade carrier pivotally mounted at the outer end of the arm and means for rotating the blade carrier relatively to the arm as the arm is rotated, so that a blade on the blade carrier follows an elliptical path to sweep a large area of glass.

United States Patent Thomas et al.

[451 Mar. 28, 1972 VEHICLE WINDSCREEN WIPING MECHANISMS David Thomas,Solihull; James Barry Seager, both of Birmingham, England Inventors:

Assignee: Joseph Lucas (Industries) Limited, Birmingham, England Filed:Oct. 28, 1969 Appl. No.: 871,878

Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 13, i968 Great Britain..59,423/68 US. Cl... ..74/109, 74/660, 15/2503 Int. Cl ..Fl6h 21/44Field of Search ..74/109, 422, 660; 15/2503,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,554,363 1/1971 Elineau..74/660 FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS 676,438 6/1929 France 15/2503Primary Examiner-Edgar W. Geoghegan Assistant Examiner-Ronald I-l.Lazarus Attorney-Holman & Stern [57] ABSTRACT A mechanism forcontrolling the operating cycle of a wiper blade for cleaning a vehiclewindow comprises an arm rotatably mounted on a drive member whereby itcan be reciprocated, a wiper blade carrier pivotally mounted at theouter end of the arm and means for rotating the blade carrier relativelyto the arm as the arm is rotated, so that a blade on the blade carrierfollows an elliptical path to sweep a large area of glass.

2 Claims 1 Drawing Figure VEHICLE WINDSCREEN WIPING MECHANISMS Thisinvention relates to mechanisms for controlling the operating cycle ofwiper blades for cleaning vehicle windows.

The object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for this purposewhich enables maximum area of the glass to be cleaned.

According to the present invention a mechanism for controllingtheoperating cycle of a wiper blade for cleaning a vehicle windowcomprises an angularly, movable drive member, means for rotating thedrive member in one direction and then reversing it, during theoperating cycle, an arm fixed to said drive member, said arm extendinglaterally of the axis of rotation of the drive member, a blade carrierrotatably mounted on the outer end of the arm, and means for rotatingthe'blade carrier relatively to the arm as the drive member and arm aremoved angularly, the arrangement being such that as the arm movesthrough a predetermined cycle, the blade carrier will move angularlyrelatively to the arm.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference tothe accompanying drawing, the single figure of which shows, incross-section, a mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention.

The mechanism illustrated is intended for use for controlling theoperating cycle of a vehicle windscreen wiper and it comprises a rackwhich is reciprocated by mechanism (not shown) connected to anelectrical motor. This motor is preferably of the reversible type. Therack is guided in a channel-forming part 11, secured onto the vehicleand extending generally parallel with respect to one edge (for examplethe lower edge) of the windscreen to be cleaned.

Engaging with the rack 10 is a pinion 12 carried on a shaft 13, mountedin bearings 14, carried by a member 15 on a fixed part 16, of thevehicle. Secured by bolts to the member 15 is a fixed gear 17.

Carried at the opposite end of the shaft 13 from the pinion 12 is an arm18. At the free end of the arm 18 there is mounted a sleeve 19 withinwhich is journaled a spindle 20 having a spline at one end which engageswith a blade carrier 2]. To the blade carrier 21 is fixed a blade (notshown) for engagement with the glass surface, and there is pivotalconnection between the portion of the blade carrier engaged with thespline on the spindle 20, and that portion which carries the blade, theaxis 21a of such pivotal connection being parallel to the glass surface.

To the other end of the spindle 20 from the spline, which engages theblade carrier 21, there is fixed a pinion 22. intermediate the ends ofthe arm 18 there is a short shaft 23 on which is joumaled a furtherpinion 24 meshing with the pinion 22 and also with the fixed gear 17.

The arrangement is such that as the rack 10 is reciprocated, the gear 12and arm 18 are moved angularly. As such angular movement of the armtakes place, the meshing of the pinions 22, 24 and the gear 17 causesthe spindle 20 to be rotated so that the blade carrier 21 is movedangularly about the axis of the spindle 20, as well as being movedbodily about the axis of the shaft 13.

In the mechanism illustrated, the pinion 12 moves through 360 inalternate directions, and the blade carrier moves through 180 about theaxis of the spindle 20.

The relative sizes of the gear 17 and pinion 22 determine the angularmovement of the blade carrier in relation to the arm 18.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is l. A mechanism for controlling the operatingcycle of a wiper blade for cleaning a vehicle window comprising anangularly movable drive member, drive means for rotating the drivemember in one direction and then reversing it, during the operatingcycle, an arm fixed through said drive member, said arm extendinglaterally of the axis of rotation of the drive member so as to moveangularly about said axis, a blade carrier rotatably mounted through aspindle on the outer end of the arm, and means for rotating the bladecarrier relatively to the arm, said means comprising a spindle pivotallymounted on the outer end of the arm, the blade carrier being fixed tothe spindle, the rotational axes of the drive member and the spindlebeing parallel, a pinion also fixed to the spindle, a fixed pinionrelatively to which the drive member is rotatable, and a further pinionpivotally mounted on the arm and meshing with the pinion on the spindleand also the fixed pinion, the mechanism being movable by said meansthrough a predetermined cycle so that the blade carrier moves through apart elliptical path relatively to said arm.

2. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 in which the drive member isrotatable by a rack and pinion mechanism.

1. A mechanism for controlling the operating cycle of a wiper blade forcleaning a vehicle window comprising an angularly movable drive member,drive means for rotating the drive member in one direction and thenreversing it, during the operating cycle, an arm fixed through saiddrive member, said arm extending laterally of the axis of rotation ofthe drive member so as to move angularly about said axis, a bladecarrier rotatably mounted through a spindle on the outer end of the arm,and means for rotating the blade carrier relatively to the arm, saidmeans comprising a spindle pivotally mounted on the outer end of thearm, the blade carrier being fixed to the spindle, the rotational axesof the drive member and the spindle being parallel, a pinion also fixedto the spindle, a fixed pinion relatively to which the drive member isrotatable, and a further pinion pivotally mounted on the arm and meshingwith the pinion on the spindle and also the fixed pinion, the mechanismbeing movable by said means through a predetermined cycle so that theblade carrier moves through a part eliptical path relatively to saidarm.
 2. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 in which the drive member isrotatable by a rack and pinion mechanism.